Take this spiritual life test. Ask yourself:
· Am I a
Christian in my outward behavior only, or within as well? · Is my walk full of head knowledge about God, or do I have a true, heartfelt relationship with the Lover of my soul?
· Do I live as a follower of the true Lord Jesus Christ in all of my words and actions, or am I worshipping an idol of my own making?
· Is Jesus the Lord of my life, or am I sitting on His throne?
· Am I controlled and guided by the Spirit of God or by my own cravings, ambitions and desires?
· Do I think like a follower of Christ in Biblical terms or am I caught up in anxiety over the circumstances of my life?
If you see any of these misconceptions in yourself while
answering any of these questions, repent right now and forgive your self. God
already forgave you (Psalm 103:12).
God is waiting to bless you with the fruit of His
forgiveness. As we rejoice always, focus on the eternal and trust in our Savior
who lives within us, our fears fade and we look at our affliction like Paul
did, as “light and momentary" (2 Corinthians 4:17). God is
very forgiving, loyal and steadfast in His love for everyone who calls on Him
for help (Psalm 86:4-5). For human beings, however,
forgiveness is a very challenging discipline to learn.
We falsely believe that if we refuse to forgive, we are
actually hurting our offender. In reality, that person probably has no idea we
are unhappy with them; or if they do, they probably do not care. Forgiveness
does not mean that we absolve the person of their faults or condone their
actions or words against us. Forgiveness does not let them off the hook. It
simply takes them off our hook and places them firmly in God’s trustworthy
hands (Romans 12:19; Deuteronomy 32:35; 2 Thessalonians 1:8-10).
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, help us to forgive those toward whom we harbor
animosity. Give us the courage to ask others to forgive us for anything we did
to wound them. Then, give us the humility to ask Father God to forgive us for
all of our sins, to redeem our soul, to give us an eternal perspective about
life and to draw us ever closer to His heart. Then, we will find His grace that
we need to also forgive our self.Thought for the Day:
Forgiveness is the oil that heals our damaged soul. – Psalm 147:3
